Brookdale Community College

In 2006 the Collins Arena was in poor condition and had many technical deficiencies that limited its programmatic opportunities and revenue potential. The arena was not only the college’s sports and event venue, but was also the largest one in the entire region. The college asked B&D to study the feasibility of renovating/expanding the facility and analyze other venues to determine if it should add a recreational component. We delivered a detailed market analysis, a preliminary facility analysis, a design charrette, and a variety of user interviews that resulted in a conceptual building program, design options, and a financial model. Our analysis indicated that the county was not likely to attract enough live entertainment or conference events to generate the revenue needed to fund an expansion, but the arena could be more useful as a recreation and fitness facility and/or an amateur sports and exhibition site. We presented them with two options: a renovation, including a gym addition or a conversion of the facility into a performance venue with an adjoining gym. At a combined $19 million in construction costs, the renovated Collins Arena and the new 15,000 SF Recreation and Events Center were opened in 2010.

Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, N.J., is underway on the 94,000-square-foot renovation and addition of the Collins Arena and Recreation Education Center. This project will create one of the region’s premier sports and entertainment venues.